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Crooked River Railroad Bridge

November 11, 2023

The Crooked River Railroad Bridge, part of a BNSF Railway line between the Columbia River and Bend, Oregon, crosses Oregon's Crooked River Canyon in southern Jefferson County. The bridge is 320 feet (98 m) above the river and when it was completed in 1911, it was the second-highest railroad bridge in the United States. It is a steel two-hinge arch span with a total length of 460 feet (140 m).

History edit

The crossing of the Crooked River played a critical role in the competition to build a railroad up the Deschutes River Valley.[1] The incentive for railroad construction was reaching the vast stands of timber south of Bend. The Oregon Trunk Railway Company, a subsidiary of the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway owned by James J. Hill of the Great Northern Railway, started up the west side of the Deschutes while the Des Chutes Railroad, owned by Edward Harriman of the Union Pacific, started up the east side. At North Junction, approximately 65 miles (105 km) south of the Columbia River, Hill's Oregon Trunk crossed over to the east bank. At 126 miles (203 km) both railroads would have had to cross a major tributary of the Deschutes, the Crooked River. There was only one place where the cliffs on both sides were close enough to build a bridge. Jim Hill had obtained the rights to the location when his Oregon Trunk Railroad acquired the Central Oregon Railroad Company on December 1, 1909. The Central Oregon had laid no track and the rights to the bridge site were its principal asset. Hill's acquisition of the location forced Harriman to negotiate a settlement whereby the Oregon Trunk, Hill's railroad, would own almost the entire line from the Columbia to Bend but Harriman's company would have the right to use the track.

Through a series of mergers the rail line and the bridge became part of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway (which changed its name to BNSF Railway in 2005). Union Pacific, Harriman's old railroad, still has the right to use the track. Great Northern extended the line south from Bend to Chemult in 1928.[2][3]

The bridge was designed by the famous bridge architect, Ralph Modjeski, who also designed the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge. The Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Company built the bridge by cantilevering it out from rock walls on both sides of the canyon. A myth arose, fostered by a photograph of men climbing a rope ladder up to the bridge, that the bridge builders camped at the bottom of the canyon and climbed up to work every day. In fact the crew lived two miles north of the bridge in a large construction camp at Opal City.[4][5] Opal City was expected to thrive well into the future but it was completely abandoned soon after the railroad was completed.

The first steel for the bridge arrived on May 18, 1911, and was lowered by derrick to the bottom of the gorge. Men climbed down rope ladders to attach cables to the steel beams and the steel was hoisted back up both sides of the canyon as the beams were needed. The first train crossed the bridge only four months later on September 17. Half the rivets holding the bridge together were installed after trains started using the bridge. The bridge was built quickly to facilitate laying the last 25.5 miles (41.0 km) of track to Bend where Jim Hill himself drove the "golden" spike on October 5. Dramatic photographs of the bridge's construction were taken by Olof Hedlund of Madras.[6]

 
Crooked River Railroad Bridge spanning the canyon at Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint

Nearby bridges edit

Less than 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) upriver from the bridge are the Crooked River High Bridge, the Rex T. Barber Veterans Memorial Bridge (which carries U.S. Route 97 over the Crooked River), and the Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint. Further upriver the City of Prineville Railway, linking Redmond and Prineville, operates the only other railroad bridge across the Crooked River.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Grande, Walter R. (1997). The Northwest's Own Railway: Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway and its Subsidiaries, Volume Two, The Subsidiaries. Grande Press.
  2. ^ Brogan, Phil F. (1971). East of the Cascades. Binfords & Mort.
  3. ^ Hofsommer, Don L. (2009). The Southern Pacific 1901–1985. Texas A&M University Press.
  4. ^ Ramsey, Jarold (2003). New Era, Reflections on the Human and Natural History of Central Oregon. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University Press.
  5. ^ . Archived from the original on 2013-12-11. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  6. ^ Crow, Beth; Ramsey, Jarold (Fall 2010). "Ole Hedlund, Photographer of the Central Oregon Railroad Era, 1909–1911". Oregon Historical Quarterly. 111 (3): 341–371.
  • Hutchings, Chuck (2010). A Story of Three Bridges (DVD). Chuck Hutchings.
  • Speroff, Leon (2007). The Deschutes River Railroad War. Portland, OR: Arnica Publishing.

External links edit

  • Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. OR-51, "Oregon Trunk Railroad Bridge, Spanning Crooked River at Oregon Trunk Railroad, Terrebonne, Deschutes County, OR", 1 photo, 1 photo caption page

44°23′28″N 121°11′46″W / 44.3911°N 121.1962°W / 44.3911; -121.1962

November 11, 2023
crooked, river, railroad, bridge, part, bnsf, railway, line, between, columbia, river, bend, oregon, crosses, oregon, crooked, river, canyon, southern, jefferson, county, bridge, feet, above, river, when, completed, 1911, second, highest, railroad, bridge, uni. The Crooked River Railroad Bridge part of a BNSF Railway line between the Columbia River and Bend Oregon crosses Oregon s Crooked River Canyon in southern Jefferson County The bridge is 320 feet 98 m above the river and when it was completed in 1911 it was the second highest railroad bridge in the United States It is a steel two hinge arch span with a total length of 460 feet 140 m Contents 1 History 2 Nearby bridges 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory editThe crossing of the Crooked River played a critical role in the competition to build a railroad up the Deschutes River Valley 1 The incentive for railroad construction was reaching the vast stands of timber south of Bend The Oregon Trunk Railway Company a subsidiary of the Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway owned by James J Hill of the Great Northern Railway started up the west side of the Deschutes while the Des Chutes Railroad owned by Edward Harriman of the Union Pacific started up the east side At North Junction approximately 65 miles 105 km south of the Columbia River Hill s Oregon Trunk crossed over to the east bank At 126 miles 203 km both railroads would have had to cross a major tributary of the Deschutes the Crooked River There was only one place where the cliffs on both sides were close enough to build a bridge Jim Hill had obtained the rights to the location when his Oregon Trunk Railroad acquired the Central Oregon Railroad Company on December 1 1909 The Central Oregon had laid no track and the rights to the bridge site were its principal asset Hill s acquisition of the location forced Harriman to negotiate a settlement whereby the Oregon Trunk Hill s railroad would own almost the entire line from the Columbia to Bend but Harriman s company would have the right to use the track Through a series of mergers the rail line and the bridge became part of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway which changed its name to BNSF Railway in 2005 Union Pacific Harriman s old railroad still has the right to use the track Great Northern extended the line south from Bend to Chemult in 1928 2 3 The bridge was designed by the famous bridge architect Ralph Modjeski who also designed the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge The Missouri Valley Bridge amp Iron Company built the bridge by cantilevering it out from rock walls on both sides of the canyon A myth arose fostered by a photograph of men climbing a rope ladder up to the bridge that the bridge builders camped at the bottom of the canyon and climbed up to work every day In fact the crew lived two miles north of the bridge in a large construction camp at Opal City 4 5 Opal City was expected to thrive well into the future but it was completely abandoned soon after the railroad was completed The first steel for the bridge arrived on May 18 1911 and was lowered by derrick to the bottom of the gorge Men climbed down rope ladders to attach cables to the steel beams and the steel was hoisted back up both sides of the canyon as the beams were needed The first train crossed the bridge only four months later on September 17 Half the rivets holding the bridge together were installed after trains started using the bridge The bridge was built quickly to facilitate laying the last 25 5 miles 41 0 km of track to Bend where Jim Hill himself drove the golden spike on October 5 Dramatic photographs of the bridge s construction were taken by Olof Hedlund of Madras 6 nbsp Crooked River Railroad Bridge spanning the canyon at Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic ViewpointNearby bridges editLess than 1 4 mile 0 40 km upriver from the bridge are the Crooked River High Bridge the Rex T Barber Veterans Memorial Bridge which carries U S Route 97 over the Crooked River and the Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint Further upriver the City of Prineville Railway linking Redmond and Prineville operates the only other railroad bridge across the Crooked River See also editList of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in OregonReferences edit Grande Walter R 1997 The Northwest s Own Railway Spokane Portland amp Seattle Railway and its Subsidiaries Volume Two The Subsidiaries Grande Press Brogan Phil F 1971 East of the Cascades Binfords amp Mort Hofsommer Don L 2009 The Southern Pacific 1901 1985 Texas A amp M University Press Ramsey Jarold 2003 New Era Reflections on the Human and Natural History of Central Oregon Corvallis OR Oregon State University Press DPL Ramsey Discusses the Fall of Opal City Archived from the original on 2013 12 11 Retrieved 2013 11 15 Crow Beth Ramsey Jarold Fall 2010 Ole Hedlund Photographer of the Central Oregon Railroad Era 1909 1911 Oregon Historical Quarterly 111 3 341 371 Hutchings Chuck 2010 A Story of Three Bridges DVD Chuck Hutchings Speroff Leon 2007 The Deschutes River Railroad War Portland OR Arnica Publishing External links editHistoric American Engineering Record HAER No OR 51 Oregon Trunk Railroad Bridge Spanning Crooked River at Oregon Trunk Railroad Terrebonne Deschutes County OR 1 photo 1 photo caption page44 23 28 N 121 11 46 W 44 3911 N 121 1962 W 44 3911 121 1962 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Crooked River Railroad Bridge amp oldid 1128125352, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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